Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Dodgers at Diamondbacks

Los Angeles Dodgers (31-12) at Arizona Diamondbacks (15-28)

Wednesday, September 9th, 9:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.50 ERA) vs RHP Taylor Clarke (1-0, 2.96 ERA)

Game Preview

The Dodgers and the Diamondbacks couldn't be moving in more opposite directions, as the Dodgers look like the team to beat in the National League while the Diamondbacks have been forced to settle with that's increasingly looking like a last-place finish in the NL West. The Dodgers already defeated the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night and, to tip the scales even more in Los Angeles' way, they will start one of the most dominant pitchers of the last decade in Clayton Kershaw. The Diamondbacks will go with Taylor Clarke who, even though has posted good numbers, will face an authentic Murderers' Row in the Dodgers offense. Kershaw looks like a strong pick up in this matchup, especially given the way he's been pitching over his last few starts.

Injuries

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jeremy Beasley - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

9/1 1:54 PM EST - The Diamondbacks transferred Beasley (shoulder) to the 45-day injured list Monday. Arizona also moved Merrill Kelly (shoulder) to the 45-day IL, effectively spelling an end to both pitchers' seasons. Beasley made one relief appearance out of the Diamondbacks' bullpen before being shut down with a strained right shoulder.

Silvino Bracho - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/5 6:11 PM EST - Bracho (elbow) has tested positive for COVID-19, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Bracho was already placed on the 60-day injured list Monday as he continues to recover from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March of 2019. He suffered a setback in his recovery while play was suspended, so he might not be ready to play at any point in 2020. However, manager Torey Lovullo revealed Sunday that Bracho was one of three Diamondbacks to test positive for coronavirus, although he is asymptomatic.

Jon Duplantier - Out - Elbow

8/29 2:31 AM EST - Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Duplantier (elbow) is not expected to join the team in 2020, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Duplantier has been dealing with elbow discomfort since April. The GM said the time needed for Duplantier and fellow injured pitcher Corbin Martin (elbow) to ramp up for an appearance would make pitching in 2020 unlikely.

Merrill Kelly - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

9/8 9:15 PM EST - Kelly (shoulder) will undergo surgery Wednesday to relieve symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The 31-year-old underwent a procedure in late August to treat a blood clot in his right shoulder, and he'll now undergo surgery to address the nerve issue, which includes the removal of a rib to alleviate pressure in the area. Kelly could start playing catch eight weeks after the surgery, so if all goes well he may be ready for the start of spring training. He remains under team control for the next few years, and the Diamondbacks seem likely to exercise his $4.25 million club option for 2021 after he posted a 2.59 ERA and 0.99 ERA through 31.1 innings this season.

Mike Leake - Out - Opt Out

6/29 11:08 AM EST - Leake will opt out of participating in the 2020 season, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. He was included on the initial version of the Diamondbacks' 60-man roster and would have been fighting for a rotation spot in July. While Leake is the first known player to opt out of playing this year, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as Leake has made just shy of $95 million in his career and there are obviously health risks involved with playing during a pandemic. Alex Young now appears to be Arizona's sixth starter in case one of the top five guys gets injured. Leake says he looks forward to playing in 2021. Arizona will either pay him $18 million next season for the final year of his contract or buy him out for $5 million.

Domingo Leyba - Out - Suspension

3/6 12:13 PM EST - Leyba received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Leyba was called up for his major-league debut in September and made a quality first impression with a .280/.367/.440 slash line in 21 games, and he had a chance to begin the season in a utility role for the Diamondbacks. The 24-year-old will instead miss the first half of the season.

Corbin Martin - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/29 2:28 AM EST - Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Martin (elbow) isn't expected to join the team in 2020, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Martin, who is working his way back from last July's Tommy John surgery, suffered an oblique strain earlier this month. The GM said the time needed for Martin and fellow injured pitcher Jon Duplantier (elbow) to ramp up for an appearance make pitching in 2020 unlikely.

Caleb Smith - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

9/5 3:28 AM EST - Smith (COVID-19) is scheduled to throw 70 pitches in an intrasquad game Saturday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Smith, recently acquired from the Marlins, appears to be nearing a return. The Diamondbacks will see how the left-hander responds to the outing before deciding next steps.

Taylor Widener - 10-Day IL - Ribs

9/1 2:03 PM EST - Widener was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a strained right rib cage. After Robbie Ray was traded to the Blue Jays on Monday and Merrill Kelly (shoulder) underwent a season-ending procedure last week, Widener looked like he might be a candidate to make some starts for Arizona in September. The injury likely takes any opportunity Widener had to join the rotation off the table. Even if the strained rib cage sidelines him for the minimum amount of time, Widener probably wouldn't have sufficient time to build up to a starter's workload with the regular season coming to an end Sept. 27.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yadier Alvarez - Out - Shoulder

3/2 2:33 PM EST - Alvarez (shoulder) cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to minor-league camp, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Alvarez was scratched from his scheduled start Friday against the Brewers after being unable to get loose. He's been sent for tests on his shoulder, the results of which aren't yet known. The shoulder scare was evidently enough to dissuade teams from taking a chance on him in waivers.

Pedro Baez - 10-Day IL - Groin

9/8 3:28 PM EST - Baez (groin) will face live hitters Wednesday and could subsequently be activated by the Dodgers, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. The veteran right-hander completed a simulated game Sunday, and Wednesday's session could be the final hurdle before returning from the injured list. Baez has been sidelined since Aug. 20 due to a right groin strain.

Walker Buehler - Day-To-Day - Finger

9/9 6:36 AM EST - Buehler gave up five runs (two earned) while striking out two over 2.2 innings Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, and he was seen picking at his blister on the bench after exiting. Manager Dave Roberts said he expects Buehler to make his next start but added "nothing is off the table," according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Buehler said the blister, which landed him on the injured list earlier this season, is something that he and the team are trying to figure out how to deal with. He touched 100 mph with his second pitch of the start, but a blister is more likely to affect a pitcher's ability to throw and locate offspeed pitches. Buehler gave up a pair of home runs and issued zero walks while throwing 41 of 61 pitches for strikes. His next turn would be Monday in San Diego, but the Dodgers' top priority now will be getting him right for the playoffs, so they could push him back.

Joe Kelly - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

9/6 11:11 AM EST - Kelly (shoulder) threw to live hitters Friday and struggled with his command, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Kelly emerged from the session healthy and will throw again Monday. "He's building up arm strength. As far as command, it wasn't where it needs to be, and right now it doesn't have to be. Monday, for me, is going to be a big test. I expect the command to be more tightened up and the intensity to be ramped up," said Roberts. Kelly will still need to serve a five-game suspension once he is activated.

Jimmy Nelson - 60-Day IL - Back

7/21 10:31 AM EST - Nelson (back) landed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports. The righty is set to undergo lumbar surgery, a procedure which will wipe out his 2020 season entirely. The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the Dodgers to add Jake McGee, who signed a major-league deal.

Joc Pederson - Paternity - Personal

9/8 10:51 AM EST - Pederson was placed on the paternity list Tuesday. It turns out that the "family-related matter" that kept Pederson out of the lineup Sunday was of the positive variety. The Dodgers should be well-equipped to handle his absence and could give the likes of Enrique Hernandez or Matt Beaty some additional at-bats until he returns. Players typically spend around three days on the paternity list, though the coronavirus pandemic could potentially add some logistical delays to that timeline. Josh Sborz was recalled in a corresponding move.

David Price - Out - Opt Out

7/4 1:48 PM EST - Price has elected not to play this season, he announced on his personal Twitter page Saturday. Price cited his health and his family's health as his reasons for sitting out the season during the coronavirus pandemic, becoming the highest-profile player thus far to opt out. He now won't be suiting up for his new team until the start of the 2021 season. His absence creates a hole in the Dodgers' rotation, with Dustin May looking like the most likely beneficiary.

Zach Reks - Out - Undisclosed

8/12 9:10 AM EST - Reks (undisclosed) has not yet joined the team at its alternate training site, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Reks has been away from the team since July 8, though the Dodgers have yet to give a reason for the outfielder's absence. The 26-year-old was included on the 60-man roster after a strong spring in which he hit .368/.556/.684 and drew eight walks.

Cody Thomas - Out - Undisclosed

8/12 9:15 AM EST - Thomas (undisclosed) still isn't with the Dodgers at their alternate training site, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Thomas was included in the team's 60-man player pool after smashing five home runs during spring training, However, the outfielder missed most of summer camp, and the team has thus far withheld the reason for his absence.

Andrew Toles - Out - Personal

6/26 11:43 PM EST - Toles was arrested in Florida on Monday on a misdemeanor trespassing charge after he was found sleeping behind Key West International Airport and refused to leave, Gwen Filosa of the Miami Herald reports. In terms of baseball news, this incident furthers the belief that Toles is unlikely to return to the sport during the 2020 season. However, Toles' need for help clearly extends beyond baseball, and any hope of seeing him in a Dodgers uniform again should be superseded by the hope that he simply gets well. The 28-year-old has a documented history of dealing with anxiety and depression, and he essentially disappeared from baseball after leaving spring training last May to deal with a personal matter.

Justin Turner - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

9/7 9:22 AM EST - Turner (hamstring) took swings during a simulated game Sunday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Turner stood in against reliever Pedro Baez during the latter's sim game as both players progress toward a return to the active roster. Though facing live pitching is a tangible step in a positive direction for Turner, he has yet to clear his biggest hurdle -- running -- in his recovery from a left hamstring strain. The timeline for his return remains uncertain.

Edwin Uceta - Suspension - Not Injury Related

8/22 11:16 AM EST - Uceta broke security protocol and was suspended by the Dodgers, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Uceta had been working at the Dodgers' alternate training site, but he was recently sent home to the Dominican Republic and suspended by the team. Given travel restrictions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it's unclear whether the right-hander will return to the team at any point in 2020. If he does, he's likely to remain with the alternate squad.

Diamondbacks Expected Lineup

SP - Taylor Clarke

1. Tim Locastro

2. Ketel Marte

3. Christian Walker

4. David Peralta

5. Eduardo Escobar

6. Nick Ahmed

7. Josh Rojas

8. Carson Kelly

9. Daulton Varsho

Dodgers Expected Lineup

SP - Clayton Kershaw

1. Mookie Betts

2. Corey Seager

3. A.J. Pollock

4. Cody Bellinger

5. Max Muncy

6. Chris Taylor

7. Gavin Lux

8. Edwin Rios

9. Will Smith

Top Picks / Captaincy Options

1. Mookie Betts – Dodgers
2. Clayton Kershaw – Dodgers
3. Christian Walker – Diamondbacks
4. Corey Seager – Dodgers

Dream11 Team

P – Clayton Kershaw (VC)

C – Austin Barnes

IF – Corey Seager

IF – Ketel Marte

IF – Gavin Lux

IF – Christian Walker

OF – Mookie Betts (C)

OF – David Peralta

OF – Cody Bellinger